Dangerous Ride Read online

  “Why?”

  Why? The question rocked her. “You’re incredibly sexy and complex, a man who undoubtedly understands women more than they do themselves, who puts their needs and desires before his own.” Was she insane, carrying on a conversation at a time like this? “You have to be frustrated. I want to change things for you.”

  His palm pressed against her opening, splintering her thoughts. “Why?”

  “Be-because I care about you. You. Not just what I hope you’ll do to and for me.”

  “Care?” he whispered. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Maita. You can’t possibly.”

  “Then tell me.”

  Instead, he pulled out of her, gripped her hips and pulled back and up, positioning her on her knees. Willing to accommodate him, she braced her upper body on her elbows and forearms. She even reached for her crotch and opened her pussy to him before he had to do the work himself. Finally, not sure she wanted to see him, she looked over her shoulder and up at him. He knelt between her legs, his arms hanging at his side, not touching her, not meeting her eyes.

  “Do it. Fuck me in the way that works for you.”

  “This is for you.”

  “The hell it is! If you think I want to be taken like a dog the first time out of the chute for us— Do it, damn it!” Increasing her stance even more, she leaned back toward him and lowered her head again, increasing his access to her. “Get it on.”

  “Not yet.”

  She felt him move off the bed, heard a drawer open and then the unmistakable sound of a condom package being opened and put to use. He returned.

  With a curse, he pulled her cheeks apart and drove into her. His strength and anger would have knocked her onto the bed if he hadn’t clamped onto her rib cage and held her in place. Blood rushed to her head. She saw nothing of the man fucking her, felt only his cock rammed deep, his strong fingers keeping her where he wanted. Grunting rhythmically, he buried himself over and over again, the force keeping her in motion. Anger, frustration, even the thousand questions she had about this complex man became buried under the sensation of his engorged cock expanding her core.

  He rode her hard and long, an expert cowboy controlling the creature under him. She felt like a bitch in heat. Her dangling breasts swayed in time with the pulsation. She became primal, an animal lost in her partner’s power. Lack of control didn’t matter. Neither did dignity. This man who’d laid claim to countless vaginas had chosen hers tonight.

  Her scalp, cheeks, neck and throat became coated in sweat. They rocked and drove together, retreated, advanced over and over again. Her pussy walls caught fire. Wet friction spread over her, traveling up and down her body. He shifted his grip. His fingers ground into her skin as if trying to connect with the tip of his penis.

  He owned her sex. She’d given up all claim to her body and turned it over to him to tease, punish, or treasure as he saw fit. In the total surrender she discovered hot desire. It spun an ever-expanding web and sucked her body and soul into it. She heard herself scream, then scream again. The raw sounds further fueled the flame.

  She came and kept coming. Every muscle in her body seemed to have tightened. She couldn’t find the off button so simply rode the climactic waves. Her scream went on and on, blocking out whatever sounds he made.

  * * * * *

  “You had sex with him, didn’t you?”

  Although she’d expected to start the day by talking to her boss about the schedule for the rest of the week, Maita said “yes” without giving away any emotion.

  “After I told you not to.”

  “What I do on my own time is my business.”

  “The hell it is!” Rylan looked around, probably assuring himself that no one else was in the barn and might overhear. “You forget, I know how the bastard operates—the same way I’ve been known to do.” He took her hand and turned it upward so he could stroke her callused palm. “You’re far from a hothouse flower which has a great deal to do with why I hired you, but at the core of you is a woman. Sensual. Responsive.”

  Muttering a curse, she jerked free. “Whether I am or not is my business. I don’t wear your brand. You don’t own me.”

  “Don’t tempt me.”

  The thought of becoming a man’s possession caused her cunt to soften. A moment later reality intervened. She had no interest in having this particular man’s rope over her. “I’m not trying to,” she pointed out. “Do you want to let me in on what you want me to do today, or are you going to criticize my behavior?”

  “Normally your behavior would be the last of my concerns as long as you do what I hired you for, but we’re talking about Kade Severn.”

  Kade Severn. The name stroked her and brought back memories of climax and the aftermath when he’d watched, silent and naked, as she dressed and walked out of the room made for sex in its baser forms.

  “Maita, I know what he’s capable of.” Rylan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Whatever skills I’ve gained when it comes to bondage is a result of watching him at work. He’s the master. I’m the willing and happy pupil.”

  As long as Ann and whatever other women crossed Rylan’s path were equally content, what did she care? “He’s your teacher?”

  “Because I insisted on it. It’s a seductive lifestyle, Maita. And in Kade’s hands, you don’t stand a chance.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” she said to cover a niggling unease.

  “I can tell it’ll take more than that to convince you you’re making a dangerous mistake by letting Kade get his hooks into you. He’ll change you then discard you. Speaking of hooks, how’d he play you?”

  Not me, Lisa. “I’m not telling you anything.”

  “You don’t have to. I can imagine.”

  Wonderful.

  She’d started to reach for a bridle when Rylan grabbed her and forced her hands behind her. At the same time, he drove her back against a wall. “Listen to me and listen good! You’re right. I can’t dictate your actions when you aren’t on the clock for me. But if you keep seeing Kade, he’s going to suck you dry of everything except needing his brand of sex. You’re a sensual woman, strong and alive, curious and natural. Perfect for him.”

  “I’m not paying—”

  “Do you think that’s what he gets off on? If you do, you’re even more vulnerable than I thought. I’ll tell you what. Ask him about his childhood. If he tells you, you’ll know why he’s so dangerous.”

  * * * * *

  She’d fallen asleep on the blanket-covered couch in the cabin. Night had crept into the room, the only light came from the flickering TV she’d been watching before dozing off.

  Her first awareness came when a floorboard creaked. Feeling drugged, she started to sit up. Strong hands twisted her onto her stomach, burying her face in the blanket. Fighting for breath distracted her from what the intruder was doing until it was too late. Once he’d lashed her hands behind her and roped her ankles, he turned her onto her side. She started to scream. The man clamped a hand over her mouth, then rammed a strip of leather between her teeth and fastened it behind her head.

  Caught. His.

  A knife made short work of her blouse and bra. Her jeans resisted attack so he unzipped them and slid them down as far as the ankle restraints allowed. Taking more rope, he secured her upper arms so her elbows nearly touched in back then finished his handwork by looping the rope both under and over her breasts.

  She now lay looking up at him, her head propped on the armrest. She still couldn’t make out his features, and his manhandling hadn’t told her anything about his identity. When he ran his hand under her panties, she tried to evade him, but the couch trapped her as surely as the ropes did. His fingers on her belly left bruises in places and in ways she couldn’t escape. Along with fear came another equally unfightable emotion—sexual excitement.

  She prayed he wouldn’t discover her reaction, but he worked his fingers between her legs and treated himself to her hot juices, then wiped them on her erec
t nipples. After entertaining himself by playing with her unbelievably sensitive labia, he hauled her upright. He forced her toward the door, her mincing steps drawing out the leaving, but finally he had her outside. Then he threw her over his shoulder and carried her to a truck with the passenger’s door open and ready to receive her.

  “We’re going to my place,” he said. “I’ll bring you back when I’m done with you—if I’m ever finished.”

  * * * * *

  Maita stood behind the loading chutes watching a couple of hands force a big black mare into the cramped space. According to the experts, bareback riding was the rodeo’s most physically demanding sport, but although she’d worked out for at least an hour every evening this week to prepare for the local rodeo, she couldn’t keep her mind on what she’d be doing in a few minutes.

  She hadn’t seen or spoken to Kade all week. He’d been out of town taking his stock to a California rodeo but had gotten back the night before last. When he hadn’t tried to contact her, she’d told herself she was relieved. After her vivid dream, she needed distance between herself and the fantasy it had conjured up. At the same time, she chafed at the idea of being a one-night stand to him. She’d been good enough to scratch his sexual itch, hadn’t she!

  But maybe—what did she mean maybe—some other woman was scratching him now.

  How many women had been, were, and would be in his life? The questions kept her on edge. At the same time, she had no explanation for why the answers meant so much to her. After all, they’d only had sex once.

  Once. It wasn’t her place or right to ask him about his childhood. Or his to know about hers.

  “I wasn’t sure I’d see you here,” Ann said as she threaded her way through the uniformly dressed men with their cowboy hats, tight jeans, and well-used boots. “The way you rode the other time, I thought you might be chasing the big time instead of opting for this podunk event. Of course,” Ann leaned close and spoke into Maita’s ear, “staying close to home increases the chance you’ll see Kade.”

  “Is he here?” She tried to keep her voice casual.

  “Who knows. Sometimes he hangs around to keep an eye on the stock he runs here. Sometimes he has other commitments.”

  “He’s a busy man.”

  “Too damn busy.” Obviously not concerned with Maita’s need to physically and mentally prepare herself for her ride, Ann pulled her away from the chutes. “What was it like?”

  “What was what like?” Maita asked although she suspected she already knew the answer.

  “Boffing him. Or was it the other way around? Come on, give me a taste. I can still dream, can’t I?”

  “There isn’t much to tell,” she said, her attention on the arena where the clowns were entertaining the crowd between events. “Look, we’ll talk later.”

  “Like hell there isn’t! Don’t forget, I’ve been under and over Kade. I know what he’s capable of. Damn, do I.” She made a show of pretending to wipe drool off her mouth. “Look, my man’s waiting for me so I can’t stay long.” Ann stroked her crotch. “I’ve got a new piece of jewelry. Keeps my mind on sex full-time. Talk about a high! You should get Kade to install one on you.”

  “Not likely.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. Having that man pulling your strings, so to speak, is asking for losing your sanity once and for all. Shit. It sure as hell happened to me.” Ann shook her head. “Rylan said he tried to warn you off Kade. I’m not going to do the same. I just want you to be sure you know what you’re doing.”

  “I’m about to compete in a riding event.”

  “Sure you are. The master’s back in town. I can as good as see him zeroing in on you.”

  * * * * *

  Damn it, I don’t know what I’m doing, Maita admitted as she settled onto the black mare’s back. The instant her crotch came in contact with bone, muscle, and hair, all thought of Kade evaporated. She became what she both loved and feared being, a bareback rider. Her personal rigging had been strapped around the mare’s belly, and she now slipped her gloved hand into the handhold. Not satisfied to simply wrap her fingers around her only way of staying on the black’s back, she pounded on her glove until the leather conformed to the well-rosined loop.

  Balance, rhythm, control, she kept chanting. With her free hand, she pushed her hat firmly in place and lifted her legs so her boots would be over the point of the horse’s shoulders when the mare’s front legs first hit the ground out of the chute.

  She felt calm, nervous, focused.

  “Ready?” the chute master asked.

  She sucked in a breath and lifted her free arm. “Ready.” She dropped her arm.

  Daylight! Movement! The gate was still opening when the mare exploded. Maita concentrated on raking her dull spurs down the mare’s shoulders in a good lick. The instant she’d completed the motion, she fought to bring her legs back up so she could repeat the required movements. The judges stood on either side of the chute, watching her technique and judging the mare’s action.

  Buck! Kick! Lunge! Hit the ground like you’re a pile driver! she encouraged her mount. Change direction. Twist and roll!

  Perhaps hearing her, the mare flung her hind legs upward. Because Maita’s back all but kissed the horse’s rump, the hind legs came dangerously close to striking her head. An instant later, the bronc catapulted herself into the air and came down hard on her close-bunched legs. Maita bit her tongue. Her brain felt shaken.

  Keep your damn arm up. Whatever you do, don’t touch—

  Halfway through her mental reminder not to do anything that would disqualify her, she felt the horse spin to the right. Thrown off balance, she fought to return to an upright position. The arm all but welded to the animal felt as if it was being torn out of its socket. Try as she might, she couldn’t retain enough control over her body to continue spurring. She’d managed to lift her legs and start a downward movement when the mare suddenly raced toward the end of the corral. At the last instant, she stopped, front legs outstretched, haunch dragging on the ground.

  Maita kept going.

  She had a splintered vision of herself being launched over the horse’s head, fingers stripped from its hold, sailing almost gracefully. Then she struck the wooden fencing and slid to the ground.

  Ignoring the clowns headed toward the small unmoving figure, Kade galloped to where Maita had landed. He catapulted himself off his still-running horse and knelt before Maita. Her eyes had rolled back, one leg was twisted behind her. She lay partly on her back, arms askew. Experienced in handling injured cowboys, he placed his hands on either side of her head to stabilize it and waited for her to breathe.

  “We’ll take care—” one of the clowns started. “Severn? What are you doing here?”

  I don’t know. “Why not?” he snapped. “I’m riding pick-up tonight anyway.”

  The clown nodded and turned his attention to Maita. To Kade’s relief, her eyes fluttered open. She blinked repeatedly.

  “Don’t move,” he ordered when she started to straighten her leg. “You don’t know where you’re hurt.”

  “Kade?”

  “Good guess,” he quipped to hide his concern. “Stay like you are. Where do you hurt?”

  “Where don’t I hurt?” She started to laugh, then winced. “Boy, I blew that dismount, didn’t I?”

  “How about your head? You were knocked out.”

  “It isn’t the first time.” A serious expression settled in her features, making him wonder if she was assessing her body.

  “Can you move your legs?” he asked.

  “I’d better. Until I get out of here, the rodeo can’t go on.” She straightened her leg and brought her hands up to her face. “All systems working. I want to sit up.”

  Want? As in accepting my help? Despite his concerns about her neck and spine, he ran his hands under her shoulders and helped her into an upright position because the alternative meant holding her down. A struggle could cause more damage.

  “Shit!” she gaspe
d.

  “What! What’s wrong?”

  “I’m going to look like the victim of a beating by morning.” She ran her hand over the back of her neck. “As soon as I can figure which direction is up, I’m out of here.”

  Instinct—or something—took over. Without asking permission, which he suspected she’d deny him, he gathered her in his arms and stood. He fully expected her to demand to be let down. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. The trusting gesture touched him in ways he couldn’t comprehend. She stayed like that as a clown put her hat back on. Then they left the arena accompanied by applause.

  “That’s right, ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said over the clapping. “Let the little lady know we’re rooting for her. And for those new to our little rodeo, her hero is none other than Kade Severn, owner of the stock being used here. From the looks of things, this particular cowgirl has already forgiven him for supplying her with a bronc capable of launching her like something from a slingshot.”

  After slipping through a gate, Kade headed toward the small trailer he’d hauled to the county grounds so he could spend the night with his stock. Maita felt small, warm, slight, and vulnerable in his arms. For someone accustomed to carrying women where he wanted in preparation for doing whatever he wanted, he felt strangely out of his element. This time, this woman, hadn’t hired him to test her capacity for bondage and everything that went with it. Neither was she someone he’d picked up at a bar. She was—what?

  Because he’d locked the trailer door, he had to put her down so he could pull the key out of his pocket. In the distance, the crowd shouted encouragement to the next rider. Moths and other insects attracted by the overhead mercury lighting flew around them. The air smelled of animals and hay. And the woman he’d been thinking about since the day he’d first seen her stood beside him.

  Although he wanted to pick her up again, he needed to watch the way she took the two narrow aluminum steps into the trailer. She attacked them slow and measured but sure. After unlocking the door and opening it, he joined her in the cramped space and turned on the light.